Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 31 - Chapitre 40

| BACK TO PRESENT |“ You too kissed?”Tessa turned sharply to where the voice had come from, chills racing down her veins rooting her to the spot. Her chest tightened, a cold knot formed in her stomach as her heart rate picked up. “ Mum.” The word slipped out of her lips as she stared with widened eyes, tears still streaking down her cheeks. She wanted to disappear, to vanish into the floor.“ What exactly did I just hear?” Laura demanded, her voice low, edged with anger. Her sharp eyes glinted with fury as she stepped forward, heels clicking against the polished floor.The room suddenly felt smaller around Tessa. Her throat ached as if it were closing on itself. Every heartbeat screamed panic and regret.Tyler straightened awkwardly, he opened his mouth to speak, but she didn't give him a chance.“ I need to speak to my daughter, alone.” She said with a hardened voice, not sparing Tyler a glance.He didn't ne

With his grip firm around her wrist, Grayson pulled Tessa along with him away from the party, out of the environment, without informing anyone or bidding the guests goodbye, not even their parents. They left the house. The silence between them back home was heavy, tensed with a thick tension that stretched on a thin line, ready to snap at any time. But even beneath that tension, clarity eased Tessa's mind. Even though she couldn't place a name to what this is between her and Grayson, she at least could tell now, what her stand is with Tyler. ************ Back at the party, Ciara moved from one guest to another, exchanging calculated conversations and smiles that hold their own meaning. Making sure the night was going as planned, but she couldn't ignore the chills that ran down her spine. She turned back briefly and met with the pairs of eyes she doesn't want

| TWO HOURS BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT |Tessa groaned softly as she turned over on the bed, fluttering her eyes open to the morning when that familiar sharp pain hit her again, below her belly.She sucked in her breath between her teeth, pulled herself up, rubbed her lower belly with her brows pulled together.“ Is it here already?” She wondered, her face drawn tight before pulling herself up and dragging her feet to the bathroom where she confirmed her suspicion.It was indeed that time of the month.She groaned bitterly. “ Why… why today?” It doesn't feel nice especially having to go to work and all the scheduled meetings. She'd have preferred it to come during the weekend, but of course, this thing doesn't know a thing about right timing. With a quiet sigh, she pulled off her nightware to take her bath, moving carefully like any sudden motion might make it worse. Downstairs, in

“ What was that?” Tessa yelled with a lowered tone, wrist still in his grip. “ Your family needs you now, don't just walk away.”“ You're in pain.” He opened the car door, pushed her gently inside, and closed the door.She inhaled sharply, waited for him to get in, annoyed at him, at her body, at the situation. “ There's a murder. And this.” She pointed at her stomach. “ It's nothing serious.”“ That doesn't mean it's nothing.” The response came too quickly, too naturally, and that… that caught her off guard. She looked at him properly now. He ignited the car and drove out, something close to concern washing over his face.She hesitated, then sighed. “ It's just cramps, okay?”The words felt more personal than they should have. More exposure, and she expected awkwardness, for him to become unbothered and just turn to go back to his family. But instead, something in his expression shif

“ What?!” Tyler exclaimed softly in disbelief. Not expecting her answer at all. “ Thanks, but I'll just eat something at home.” Tessa had said, refusing his request to take her out. This was the first time ever. That she would refuse him and she could tell, even from over the phone that he was shocked. “ Tessy, you love fries and milkshake.” “ Yes, I do, but I can order it in but I don't think I want to take that right now. I would prefer something warm and chocolate.” She answered, her gaze drifting to the chocolates on the table and a small smile nudged at her lips. “ I would come over then, make you anything.” “ No, there's no need, I'll sort myself.” Reluctantly, he accepted. “ Okay. I'll keep calling to check up on you then.” “ Thank you. Bye.” She said and hung up without waiting for his response, then heaved a huge sigh.